I be a pirate!

Whatever is - is best.

- Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Poems of Pleasure.

My long awaited pirate is here! Ahoy me hearty.

I have wanted to be makin' this pirate for a very long time

and he was worth the wait.

I have made him slightly different, only to fit in with the

library scene. The pattern says to fill him with lentils, but I worried about if he were to get wet. Why would he get wet if he lives in the library - No food, no drinks! Good question and the answer is

quite simple......there is every chance the kids may drool on him!!

I found the pattern in a book I had taken out from the public library and back then I was on a different heading, not into pirates right then. But I remembered the pirate and went back for the book.

I have inserted a zip at the bottom and made a removeable sack, so when the time comes to give him a wash, it is easy to remove the lentils. His eye patch is also made from flannel and the strap is made from left over something.

Just while I had the sewing machine out, I decided to use up some left over Christmas material. I made a Christmas bag to add to next year's collection. I also had a fat quarter that was looking lonely, so that went on the inside of the bag.

We have had truly hot weather around our part of the world, 43 C for a few days in a row. But the other night, my husband Pixie took a couple of great snaps of the sunset sky.

Amazing colouring.

The sky was so gorgeous that night.

Well, I now have to think about tea time and getting on with the night time routine. I'm thinking it will be a quiet night, a good night for knitting.

I'll catch up with you all soon and wish everyone a wonderful

New Year.

Kind regards, Anita.

P.S. I'm dreaming about making a pirate flag now....???

Christmas Day Fun

Welcome Christmas! heel and toe,

Come and fill us ere you go!

-Mary Mapes Dodge, Rhymes and Jingles.

A Christmas wish to you all and hope your day was a

special and fun as ours. Every year we have to

make an arrangement with Cory about getting all

the proceedures right ie. wake up time, make a cup

of tea or coffee first, do we have to wait for

the rooster to crow etc. He wants it all set out or he can't cope.

Brandon on the other hand is very laid back and would

probably wake up after lunch and then open presents.

Don't you just love the mop of hair (centre bottom of picture!!) ? That would be Brandon. To have him out of bed at 7.30 am was as much as you could possibly expect. And zippy Cory couldn't contain himself!! Charge!!

Even my big boy was all excited opening presents. Now the

question is....which one is the biggest kid?? lol.

The early part of the morning was spent at home enjoying the spirit of Christmas. We then spent Christmas with my niece and her lovely family. A nice Christmas lunch and then opening of gifts. A cool swim was needed as well, the temperature was about 42C in our parts.

I love the extreme differences in certain hairdo's here.

We absolutely enjoyed ourselves at Christmas, it is always extra special when you have children around you. They are so funny to watch and some of the things they come up with - priceless.

A little while ago I was given a bag full of strips of wadding, and finding it impossible to just throw it out, I wondered what I could do with it.

I had to think for a while but came up with a fantastic way to use the bits up....

I decided Max our dog should have some new mats and cushions in his kennel. I had a fair bit of material to use up so it didn't matter what the colours were, I'm sure Max won't mind floral!!

So now there are new mats, side cushions and a puffy cushion for Max to lean on in the new Maxingham Palace.

Recently I went to a garage sale and found the cutest piece of material, just right for making a dinosaur!!

The claws are made from bits of felt as well as the spikey bits across the top of her body. I used some buttons for the eyes and even some of the strips of wadding that were left over, to stuff her with.

This is the fantastic book the pattern came from. I have had it for years and when my boys were small, I made several fun things from this book.

Today we are expecting a top of 43 C, so I did some ironing first thing this morning, helped my hubby empty the trailer out at the tip, now my plan is to sew. I'm thinking pirates sounds good!

Whatever you decide to do today, have a wonderful time doing it.

Kind regards, Anita.

Lucky me!

Leave the flurry to the masses;

Take your time and shine your glasses.

-Old Irish verse.

I'm wagging my tail like crazy today. Some cute buttons

that I managed to win in a give away have landed in the

mailbox!!! They are super cute. Many thanks to Sarah for the

buttons...I love them!!

I can't help myself sometimes. I went to the library and

was glad to see a book that I ordered had come in.

You will have to excuse the photography, most of you know that

I am a wreck with the camera. lol. But this book is full of interesting

goodies. The little girl just left of the book is what I whipped up

this morning!! Just a few bits of scraps of material, and the chance to use up some of the toy stuffing I managed to snag at the Op shop.

The piece of material used for the arms and the ears is the same piece of material, just turned inside out for the ears. The scraps used on the legs came from Ruth's stash given to me, and I do believe young Heather the show-off gave me the yellow floral. I'm glad somedays for my hoarding abilities. They come in handy.

I am going to have another flick through the library book, as I know there are other toys just waiting to be made. I have heaps of time as I am on holidays until February. The holiday sleepovers have started as well. Here are three of my darlings in Cory's room. Mind you there are no sheets on the bed yet. I managed to peel the sheets off, but do you think I could move the three carcasses laying in the room.....nope! Oh that's Brandon hiding behind the pillow. We can't see him.

Yes and what has happened to the house rules (that have been in place since all three of them were small???) No drinks or food in the bedroom. Hmmmm?

Well now off I go to make a hot cup of tea, flick through the softies book and start sewing. Hope everyone is having a terrific day, enjoy the weather your health and this lovely life we have. Kind regards, Anita.

Christmas gifts

Let us pursue what makes for

peace and for mutual upbuilding.

-Romans 14:19

Finally everything is ready for the Big day! All my gifts are made and have gone to

their new homes. On Friday we had our morning tea at school and we had a

visit from Secret Santa. Below is the gift I made for Lyn,  my secret swap friend.

Isn't she just sweet?

    The magazine is one of Heather's and I have returned it to her. If anyone is interested in making her,

drop me a line and I will get the details as to what volume the magazine is. There were three different

types of cup ladies you could make and I changed the doll slightly, as we all tend to do. I added a

small wooden doll to the front of mine.

This is my girl wrapped in cello and ribbon, including the floral box the cup and

saucer came in.

I just had to cross stitch a name tag as well, I couldn't help myself.

I also couldn't help myself and had to make the bag as well. Oops. Can't stop myself.

On the day, I guess I blew it really.....everyone knew who Lyn's secret Santa was. Lyn loved her

gift and I loved to give it. It seems Cory caught the giving bug as well. This is his Christmas gift

to a special someone.

Oh just while I mentioned Cory, I might just have a little brag here. A terrific report card came home and

his art project.....this is called a Fragon.

The art project is made of clay and Cory's first project at high school using clay. I was stoked.

Brandon also did well in the report department. I was glad of a choice we made and that was to change

a class during the year and Brandon's marks just took off. It was great. We are so proud of both

of our children.

Another finished doll to add to the Christmas collection this year. I can't find the magazine right now

but it was from my collection that I found this pattern.

I had also made some Santa decorations, as shown in a previous blog I'd posted, and

they had a yummy candy cane added to it, wrapped in cello and given out to some

of the staff members I work with.

It's great how just wrapping something in a bit of cello and ribbon just turns it into a million

bucks.

Well.....you know what I mean!! lol.

Today Pixie and I are being a pair of lazy sloths. We had another Christmas windup to go

to last night. We did the fatal mistake of travelling off to the city and going to heaps of shops

(well we had to actually, no way out of it). Then we went out to a lovely place on the riverfront, but

I think we were pretty well puffed out before we got there. A great night anyway.

Hope to catch you in a few days time, I'm on holidays now and I can't wait to start my

sewing projects. Have the best weekend and catch you soon. Kind regards, Anita.

Colourful Friday.

It is not what we take up, but what

we give up that makes us rich.

-Henry Ward Beecher.

Hello to you all, I'm a bit late with Colourful Friday. Our computer just

decided not to work, so every few hours I checked it out. It's times like these

when you wish back the Pony Express or horse and cart!

My collection of Colourful things is of course Christmas theme items. I am mad

on bags and at Christmas time have the best time making bags from Christmas

Colours.

I have just found the most fabulous  Christmas material. A lovely green background

and pretty Christmas symbols splashed over it. Last year I made a special bag for me, here it is.

Of course there had to be buttons on it! It just wouldn't be right. Some more wonderful colours found for Christmas.....

My much treasured Christmas decorations spread all throughout the house just put me in the mood for the

festive season. In our lounge room, across the mantle are reds, greens, white, and an aray

of other beautiful colours.

 And just under the mantle hangs the stockings of two most special boys in the world, Brandon and Cory.
My antique Pixie is also special, but in a different category!! All come under the umbrella of love.

Every Christmas my favourite wall quilt comes out and is proudly presented in our hallway. I made this several years ago and just love it to pieces

It has a few panels to it and each is very special to me.

I love the patchwork colours around the stitchery. I was stoked to find such material.

And for my new dolls that I have been busily making....

As my silly computer was not doing the right thing today,

I am now going to skip over to Robyn's blog and see

what the other players have to show for

Colourful Friday.

Kind regards, Anita.

Colourful Friday

Wishing to be friends is quick work,

but friendship is slow ripening fruit.

-Artistotle.

Hi everyone! Welcome to Colourful Friday!

This week's colour was

Teal.

I thought it was going to be a bit

tricky for me, but if you really have

a good look you can find things.

As most of you know I am a button collector. Mostly out

of love I collect buttons, but my scallywag side just

loves to have more buttons than my friend Heather.

I am surprised at how many different shades of

teal there is. I hope my photography skills don't take

away from my teal collection.

I have rounded up Cory's cup which is a green

teal.

When I went hunting for teal things, I was so surprised at how many
white goods have teal on the print or on the item itself.

Also a little trip into the folk art cupboard I found a lovely backing

paint that I was fond of when I was right into folk art.

A gorgeous shade of teal.

I tell you, any practice I can get with my

photography won't go astray!! lol. The paint pot

looks a slightly different shade in this photo.

I am off now to visit Robyn and see what her

collection of Teal is and also the other girls who

have joined in to Colourful Friday.

Have a lovely weekend.

Kind regards, Anita.